Restructuring Regional Economy Based on ICT Networks

Abstract

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) gave us great influence on our society/industries as a kind of paradigm shift in many aspects. For many rural regions in advanced countries, globalization accelerated by ICT advancement caused some negative influences in industries. Manufacturing industry and agriculture in those regions were damaged and stagnated by competing with low cost products/labor-force in merging countries. The stagnation of regional economy also promoted degradation of regional commerce and unemployment that caused depopulation and aging issues in regional community. However, on the other hand, ICT advancement also brought us new potential of regional industries through virtual clustering by networking. Many small enterprises can be virtually integrated through ICT networks and can be enhanced their power by virtual integration such as real industrial clustering. By joining in such clustering, many regional enterprises regained their power. And by restructuring regional industries with those enterprises, regional economy has been recovered in some cases. This study introduces some cases of virtual clustering in industries and some regions recovering their economy by restructuring regional industries. Their manners to restructure regional economy are very suggestive for regional societies to escape from undesirable negative circulation of de-industrialization/unemployment and to realize sustainable development.